Catch the latest catwalk trends with Delhi-based Miladyavenue

Google India revealed in June 2013 that around 60 million women use the internet to manage their day to day life. Based on the search histories on the internet, it was revealed that most Indian women bought clothing and accessories online. With the widening middle class and more foreign investment in India, women are capitalizing on their buying power online which inspired Arjun and Harsh Seth to launch Miladyavenue.com – an etail store offering trend-led clothing at market competitive prices.

The duo launched the site from a small office with two computers last year. The office has now moved to a double-storey building to accommodate 50 plus team members. “For initial seven days, the site did not see a single sale and then a customer from Mumbai placed the first order for a Milady (in-house label) shirt. Gradually the sale volumes increased along with customer registrations with every passing month. We knew something big could be built out of e-commerce and we are working hard on our mission towards this goal,” says Arjun.

Arjun possesses a passion for fashion, and earlier worked in Forever 21 India as visual merchandiser followed by a stint at Madura Fashion & Lifestyle. Harsh has significant experience of running two startups in the apparel sector.

How is it different from others?

“We combine the creative, the technical, and the strategic to bring out the best of the fashion world at affordable prices across multiple hi-fashion labels and brands, including our house brand, Milady, whose collection is inspired by the latest catwalk trends and fashion across the globe,” says Arjun.

Fitting matters

Not having access to touch, feel and drape a garment or not knowing the exact dimensions of an accessory may confuse users in their decision to place an order with complete satisfaction. “We provide them with an option of viewing multiple pictures of products from different angles with a competent zoom option, a detailed size chart for garments designed to fit the varied body types and specs,” adds Arjun.

Dealing with different tax structure across states is a real pain

It’s a bit complicated for sellers to ship products across India because taxes vary from state to state and they are also calculated differently. “If the decision pending on Goods and Services Tax (GST) is passed, it will replace all indirect taxes levied on goods and services by the Indian Central and State governments at every stage of the supply chain,” adds Harsh.

This overflow of taxes pushes up the costs of products and services, which the consumer has to bear.

Road ahead

The startup is in its final leg of negotiations with some hi-fashion labels in India and plans to launch 8-10 brands every month. It’s also looking to raise funds to scale the venture. “It is important that we have access to financial resources to make investment, but we also need to be able to generate sufficient revenue to sustain our operational cost,” says Harsh.

Starting his career as a crime reporter with 'The Indian Express', Jai Vardhan is a storyteller, erstwhile entrepreneur and a habitual prankster. He is inclined towards entrepreneurship, philosophy and startups, not necessarily in that order. He likes connecting the dots, breaking news, nose and beliefs - ‘To wake up in life one must fall asleep’.